A most important consideration with implanted artificial heart pumps and their associated control and power systems are reliability and safety. They must be capable of working properly for extended periods of time without replacement of implanted parts. All parts and systems as used must be biocompatible. They must be capable of use without impeding the proper circulation and functioning of blood through clotting or cell damage.
Also of great importance are quality of patient life considerations. The implanted pump and control and power system must be small and preferably without any wires or other structures protruding through the skin. The system must interfere with normal patient activities to the minimum extent possible. Therefore, the system should be capable of functioning for at least limited periods of time with untethered operation so that the patient may bathe comfortably and engage in other activities. Any external components must be easy and comfortable for the patient to use on his own.
One major consideration relates to redundancy in the power and control system. A certain amount of redundancy especially as to parts, such as batteries and motors, is essential in order that the system meet safety requirements. Therefore, systems that lack any redundancy are not considered acceptable. On the other hand, too much redundancy even including those components extremely unlikely to fail can add unnecessary size, complexity and cost to a system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power and control system that is reliable and safe, without requiring unnecessary redundancy. The advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.